Schooner "Mammoth" logs, 1814 and schooner "Independencia del Sud," log, November, 1817 – January, 1822

The logs cover two of the three known voyages of the schooner "Mammoth" built in Baltimore by Thomas Kemp in 1813 for $40,000. She was the largest privateer schooner built in Baltimore at the time, weighing 376 tons and her measurements were: 112' x 28'3" x 13'4." The owners of the "Mammoth" when she was built in 1813 and commissioned on March 7, 1814 were John Gooding, Samuel Smith, James Williams, and James A. Buchanan.

Samuel Franklin was made commander of the "Mammoth" for her maiden cruise. Jonathan Rowland, her later commander.

The "Mammoth" first sailed out of Baltimore on March 22, 1814, mounting 10 guns and carrying 100 men (a large crew) but loaded with a cargo for Havana. After selling her cargo there, she cruised in the Caribbean, teaming up with two other privateers, burning and harassing the substantial English trade. She then sailed north, and apparently off Bermuda captured the 160 ton English brig "Camelion," which she sent into Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The "Mammoth" herself put into Portsmouth on May 27 and stayed until June 23, 1814.

The "Mammoth's" second cruise began with a foray of burning English fishing vessels off the Grand Banks, where her attack on an armed English brig (probably the "Sinclair") was repulsed. On October 10, 1814 she engaged in a long cannonade against an English transport, the "Champion," which resulted in her capture. "Mammoth" transferred her cargo, and then returned the shot-up vessel to her commander. Franklin then sailed the "Mammoth" to Ireland, where she cruised, burning a number of captured vessels. She arrived back in Portland on November 15, 1814.

The last cruise of the "Mammoth" (for which there is no journal) began on January 6, 1815 and she cruised off the Madeira Islands. Rowland replaced Franklin as master, and sailed on January 6, 1815, to cruise off the Madeira Islands. He took no prizes and was chased a number of times by British warships. Although he shadowed a convoy for 40 days across the Atlantic, he was unable to take any prizes. Captain Rowland learned of peace on April 2, 1815 and sailed for home, arriving in New York on April 15. After the war the "Mammoth," was sold at auction and was "brig-rigged for merchant service." Owned by a consortium which included Samuel Smith, and she took more than 20 ships, disrupting the British cod trade.

The "Independencia del Sud" was originally the schooner "Mammoth." It was bought by James Chaytor of Baltimore in 1816. In May 1816, Chaytor, following Lyde Goodwin’s instructions, sold the vessel at Buenos Aires to himself, Adam Guy (a British merchant living in Buenos Aires), and another, unidentified person. W.G.D. Worthington later confirmed that the vessel was Chaytor’s “private property,” even though it appeared in the Buenos Aires marine records as a government vessel. Between 1816 and 1820, Chaytor made four cruises. He captured at least two dozen vessels including the Royal Philippine Company’s "Esperanza."

The MdHS Library holds a collection with Captain James Chaytor in MS 230, which includes several letters and bills relating to the "Independencia del Sud" dating from the time period of this ship’s log/journal